‘Folk Culture’ as Resource

Conjunctures of a Concept between Science and the Public in Switzerland

Abstract

‘Folk culture’ was framed and established by folklore studies/Volkskunde, mainly in the 1930s. Its research activities, especially with extensive individual eldwork or collaborative collecting pro- jects, shaped the image of Swiss alpine ‘folk culture’ in a highly lasting way. Even today, the then constructed knowledge formats exert their power not only in public debate, but in the wake of Switzerland’s attempts to cope with UNESCO’s list of ‘intangible heritage’. e article argues for intense research on historical contexts of the longstanding knowledge formats to broaden the concept of ‘popular culture’ for the future.